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System Developed with Customers in Mind - Close to 3.6 Million Next-Generation Meters Installed

MONTREAL, Sept. 29, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Hydro-Québec announces the end of the large-scale rollout of next-generation meters. To date, close to 3.6 million next-generation meters have been installed throughout Québec. The last remaining old meters will be replaced in the course of the company's normal operations.

"Next-generation meters have not only increased our productivity, they offer practical improvements and allow us to expand the services we offer to our millions of customers," said Daniel Richard, President of Hydro-Québec Distribution. "Customers were foremost in our minds when the time came to select this state-of-the-art technology."

The meter rollout, which began in February 2013, was expected to take five years. It was completed ahead of schedule and within the allocated budget. The project will lead to recurrent savings of $81 million, which will relieve the pressure on electricity rates.

Faster service restoration in case of outages

Customers used to have to call to report outages to Hydro-Québec, but the new technology detects them as they occur. We now know right away how widespread they are and how many customers are affected. That means field crews can be assigned more quickly and accurately, so service is restored to customers faster.

More accurate electricity bills

Next-generation meters record electricity use and periodically send billing data to Hydro-Québec, so meter readers no longer have to visit customers. Bills are now based on actual consumption, rather than estimates, as sometimes happened with the old technology, when meters were hard to get to. Customers receive regular bills that accurately reflect their actual electricity use. And starting in spring 2016, interested customers will be able to monitor their hourly use directly in their Customer Space.

Some 200,000 conventional meters still have to be read manually, so meter readers will still be making their rounds until those meters are replaced. Some of those customers may not have had their electricity use recorded in recent months. Hydro-Québec will soon be asking for their cooperation to get their accounts in order, so that their bills reflect their actual use. This will help them avoid any major billing discrepancies before winter sets in.